.Says Nigeria is in political ICU, needs prayers
IBRAHIM QUADRI
Former Deputy National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George on Thursday raised alarm at the very harrowing experience prevalent in Nigeria currently, saying the country is in political Intensive Care Unit.
The Atona Oodua made the remark during a press conference in his office at Ikoyi to mark his 79th birthday.
George also alleged that the Presidential candidate of PDP in 2023, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s desperation was responsible for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu.
He also accused the minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesome Wike of trying to destroy PDP by his utterances, saying he should allow Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara to govern the State peacefully.
In his opening remark, the PDP chieftain noted, “From my own personal perspection, our country is in political Intensive Care Unit, ICT. That is where we are, the only thing that can save us is prayer, not power.”
In his speech, George said, “As I clock 79 years today, I want to use this opportunity to thank God for creating me in His own Image on November 21, 1945, to thank Nigeria for giving me the desired education, exposure, military training and to also express my appreciation to our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for giving me the platform to operate politically at state and national levels since 1998 when we formed this great party.
“Even as elders of the party are preparing to meet on November 28 in Abuja to chart the way forward, I owe it a duty to declare openly that all is not well with our party. In fact, our party is derailing.
“And this is unfortunate because the crisis in our party has further complicated the present tragedy in the socio-economic indices of our dear nation.
“As a life member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) – the Upper Chamber and the conscience of our party – I am raising the alarm today that our party is at the precipice of a dangerous looming crisis, if pending critical party issues are not urgently addressed.
“While the party leadership is trying its best to ensure that all members have a sense of belonging, some ‘desperados’ are doing everything possible to thwart their efforts.”
On Atiku, the elder statesman stated, “I can boldly say that Atiku, Ayu and others gave the opportunity for Bola Tinubu to become the president today.
“If I may ask again: Why is Atiku so desperate? Some of us won’t allow your desperation to destroy this party. You can even leave PDP and go to your business partner in APC. At least, you did it before.
“I am bold to say it that PDP is not the private enterprise of any individual. I sat with him for hours before the 2023 elections that the right thing should be done. He refused.”
He stated further, “Some of our members are already working for him because of 2027. Is he the only one in PDP? Why are we not looking in the direction of the Southern part of the country for a younger candidate?
“Why can’t we tell all these troublemakers to go and sit down if they don’t want this party to move forward?” He queried.
While commenting on Wike, “The other day, Wike boasted openly and threatened Governors by saying ‘I will put fire in your state, I will put fire in your state’.
“If the APC-led Federal Government that he is working for refused to sanction him for acts capable of causing insurrection in Nigeria, why can’t the PDP penalize him?”
Continuing, he said, “We have seen how the APC-led presidency has continued to destroy the economy and burning the bridge that binds us together since 2015. Naira is falling everyday like a badly arranged pack of cards. A litre of fuel is now beyond the reach of the poor.
“PDP was in power for 16 years and it was not as bad as this. APC has been in power for nine years and look at the mess in the country.
“Let me state categorically that, Nigerians are waiting for us in 2027 but we must put our house in order.
“We are where we are today because of self-inflicted crisis. We should bury our individual ambition now and not allow the PDP to crumble. Elders of the party should tell some of these funny characters to cool off and think of our National interest instead of their personal interest.
“I have no iota of tribalism in my blood, just like my maternal granduncle, Uncle Papa Herbert Healas Macaulay, did, I stand to fight for inclusiveness for all Nigerians in the political process of this country especially in this party where some of us have suffered great injustice, like me incarcerated for committing no crime.
“As leaders, we must not allow anybody to destroy our party because PDP is the only true national party. The APC is just a mere congregation of strange bed fellows.”
